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This delicious cake is so simple but seriously incredible! It’s like a Dunford chocolate donut, the best chocolate cake donut covered in a chocolate glaze, in cake form. It’s decadent, but not overwhelming.
It’s made in a cookie sheet. I love that it comes together so quickly. I have found the perfect way to get silky smooth frosting is to whip it in the blender for 30 seconds or so. It takes away all the little lumps of powdered sugar. I’ve seriously tried every method, sifting the powdered sugar, heating the frosting, whisking with a whisk until my arm might fall off and the best (and easiest) way is with the blender! Psst as of right now as I’m posting this…THIS one is $25!!
You can tell by the picture below with the nuts that I didn’t know the blender trick then. haha
This cake can be made with or without nuts. Usually I opt for doing half chopped pecans and the other half without, or completely plain/without nuts entirely and it is so so good. I love that this dessert is something you can whip up with ingredients that are super common and you probably already have on hand too.
Honestly it’s delicious as is and is often mistaken as a brownie, but my family loves to eat it with ice cream. Especially vanilla ice cream, it the perfect addition to the chocolatey cake!
This picture was taken last year on my mom’s birthday in September 2023, cannot believe how much little Violet has changed in a year!
I think the pictures below show just how amazing the texture is with this cake! It’s so good! This was about 20 to 30 minutes after baking and the cake wasn’t hot but it was still setting as you can see. So delicious!
And will stay that way for days if you leave it at room temperature! I first found this recipe from The Pioneer Woman, I almost always use a substitute for buttermilk, and make some small revisions so I’ve added my additions below.
Also wanted to note, if you are making it and taking it an event the icing is usually not set. I’ll put a bunch of toothpicks in and make a little tent out of aluminum foil that does the trick but you still have to be careful. I’m going to put this pan and lid combo on my wish list so I don’t have to do all that work anymore!
Texas Sheet Cake
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 2 C. (280 grams) all-purpose flour
- 2 C. (410 grams) sugar
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1 C. butter
- 4 Tbsp. (45 grams) cocoa powder heaping
- 1 C. hot water
- 1/2 C. buttermilk (can substitute 1/2 C. milk + 1 1/2 tsp. lemon juice or white vinegar in place of buttermilk)
- 2 eggs beaten
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
For the Icing:
- 3/4 C. + 2 T. (1/2 C. plus 6 T.) butter
- 4 Tbsp. (45 grams) cocoa powder heaping
- 1/4 C. + 2 T. (6 T.) milk
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1lb. minus 1/2 cup (390 grams) powdered sugar
- 1/2 C. finely chopped pecans optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- In a large mixing bowl combine: flour, sugar, and salt.
- In a saucepan, melt the butter on low heat. Add the cocoa, stirring to combine. Add the hot water and allow the mixture to boil for 30 seconds then turn off heat. Pour the cocoa mixture over the flour mixture, and stir lightly to cool.
- Pour the buttermilk (or buttermilk substitute) in a small bowl or measuring cup and add the beaten eggs, baking soda, and vanilla. Stir the buttermilk mixture into the butter/chocolate mixture. Pour into an 18-by-13-inch sheet cake pan/cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.
- While cake is baking, make the icing: In a saucepan, melt the butter. Add the cocoa, stir to combine, and turn off the heat. Add the milk, vanilla, and powdered sugar, stirring together. Blend in blender until smooth, about 30 seconds.
- Place pecans on cake, most times if I even use pecans, I will do half with pecans and half without. Gently pour icing over cake and be careful not to mix the pecans on the "plain" side if you're doing the same.
- Cut into squares with a plastic knife.
Notes
- Substitute buttermilk for milk and lemon juice or white vinegar.
- Use a plastic knife to cut the cake. Trust me it works!
